by Cloe Cullen
Amara shifted back to her naked human form, her mind racing as she tried to take in sounds and scents from every direction. "There's no time to thank me! Come on, go find somewhere else to hide!"
The woman nodded, clutching her pup in her arms and racing away. Amara followed to make sure nothing attacked them on the way. A group of wolf shifters was forming a group deep within the trees, hiding out from the battle happening in front of their eyes. Amara saw elderly, men, women, children, and a group of warriors surrounding and protecting a perimeter around them. The woman pointed, and Amara nodded, both racing towards the group.
Once there, a warrior came over to help. "Come here and be quick about it! You'll be safe here as long as-" He sniffed the air, and stared at Amara. A cold sweat formed on Amara's back. "You...who are you? What are you doing in our land?"
The warrior poised himself to attack, but the woman stepped in front of him. "Stop! She helped my son and me. She's a friend."
He eyed them both, glancing nervously between the woman and Amara, but eventually, he gave in. "Fine! But if you try anything funny, stranger, then we'll take your life."
"Sound reasonable," Amara said. "Where's the main fighting?"
Wary, the shifter pointed ahead of them. "That direction. That's where the biggest concentration of the Changelings are, and where the two Vampires are. Right now, the Alpha and some others are fighting them."
Amara took off quickly, shifting forms and leaving the warrior and shifters behind her stunned. If the Alpha were fighting the Vampires, then that’s where Darius would be. Amara needed to be by his side, and she couldn't stand not knowing if he was alright or not.
Arriving at her destination, Amara saw that her instincts were right. Out of the misty air and endless amount of wolf shifters and Changelings, she spotted Darius' gray form materialize across the village. Fighting by his side were two blonde wolves, which Amara could only assume was Remus and someone else. Another gray wolf fought a pair of Changelings nearby; that had to be Gavriel. And the Alpha of the Pack struggled in the center of the area, lunging and swiping at two pale and lanky beings.
Vampires…
The very sight of them reminded her of Orpheus, cold in nature and smiling at other's pain, and now there were two of them. Both female, one raven-haired and dressed in all black, and the other brown-haired and slightly smaller. Their red eyes searched the battlefield as they fought, easily dodging and dancing through each and every attack. Amara was mesmerized. Their battle dance was almost beautiful if she weren't witnessing a slaughter in the making.
The raven-haired Vampire smiled with glee as she smacked the Alpha in the face and sent him whimpering to the ground. Cackling with laughter she dodged a quick attack from Darius, sidestepping as he flew past her. Darius tried to swivel on the balls of his feet to launch another attack, but the brown-haired Vampire stepped in faster than Amara's eyes could follow and slammed a fist down on top of his head, his body jerking downwards. Lastly, the brown-haired Vampire kicked Darius in the stomach propelling him through the air and crashing into Remus and the other blonde wolf.
Amara stamped the ground in frustration but decided against rushing in. Going berserk would only get her killed, along with everyone else. Amara forced herself to think as the raven-haired Vampire swung out her arms and yelled.
"Rejoice!" She shouted. "Rejoice, you dogs! Our master, Orpheus, one of the thirteen Lords of the Blackwood, has seen fit to deliver his justice upon your people. You have mocked him, hurt him, and now must pay dearly with your lives!"
The Vampire spun around like a child as wolf shifters, and Changelings fell all around her, laughing maniacally. The other Vampire watched the first with a strange frown on her face.
A roar from Darius' direction stopped the Vampire's joyful celebration, causing the Vampire's smile to fade. "Ugh, they just don't give in, do they, Bronwen?"
The brown-haired Vampire sighed. "No, I suppose they do not, Ambrosia."
The raven-haired Vampire, Ambrosia, snapped her fingers at Bronwen, the brown-haired Vampire. "Well chop-chop, this slaughter can't take all day. We must be back in time for Master Orpheus' grand feast!"
Bronwen ignored her, and glanced in Amara's direction, squinting as she made eye contact with Amara. Amara tensed up. "Hey, there's an odd-looking shifter over there."
Ambrosia looked, using one of her hands to cut off the sun from her eyes. "What are you talking about? I don't see-"
The other gray-haired wolf, Gavriel, lunged forward and snapped down on Ambrosia's waist. Ambrosia screamed in pain, hitting Gavriel in the face. "Ah! Get off me, you mutt! How dare you harm me!"
Bronwen turned to try and help Ambrosia, and Amara saw her chance. Speeding out from her spot, Amara leaped at Bronwen. Without looking Bronwen jumped out of the way, but not before Remus plowed into her; he landed on top of her, howling mightily into her face. She laid still underneath him, staring wide-eyed at the beast on top of her.
Amara shifted her attention back to Ambrosia. She was still screaming and shouting and smacking Gavriel on the nose to get him off. Amara could see blood spilling from a few wounds on his face, and eventual he was forced to let go, but not before the Alpha and Darius jumped on her. Shouting in pain, Ambrosia tried to fight them off, but both wolves tore into her. Waiting for another opportunity to pounce, Amara readied her hind legs, and when the chance presented itself, she leaped into the air and snagged Ambrosia's shoulder. Amara received a fist to the face for that, propelling her backward, but Darius raced to cushion her fall by letting Amara land on him.
The Alpha kept at the Vampire, who frantically fought him off. She whipped her head from side to side, looking for her companion, but instead terror steadily wound its way into her pretty features. Looking around, Amara became aware of what frightened her so.
Changeling bodies were littering the ground everywhere, with regular wolves howling in victory. Most were now able to gang up on the Changelings still alive and quickly dispatched them. The battle was going in Gray Creek's favor.
"No! Impossible!" Ambrosia shouted. "We cannot fail...I cannot fail my master!"
But her face betrayed her, the horror of her eventual downfall registering quicker than her reflexes. Gritting her teeth, Ambrosia sprinted away from the Alpha, shouting incoherent babble, and disappearing into the Oldwood. The Alpha yapped at a dozen or so warrior wolves still able to fight, and they took off after her, howling to signal a new hunt.
Amara, tired and panting, shifted back to her human form. Darius shifted back too, changing his position behind her so that he could hold her in his arms.
"I thought you'd be late to the party," he said.
Amara chuckled, her apprehension leaving her senses. "As if I would miss this." She looked up at Darius, touching his cheek with her hand. "I'm just glad you're alright."
Darius grinned. "We've fought a Vampire before. I'd say the second time was easier."
Both Amara and Darius laughed, but their grins quickly faded as Gavriel came up to them, still in his wolf form, he turned and gazed around them, and they both followed his eyes. Despite the victory, every shifter in the land was staring at both Darius and Amara, some in their human forms, and most in their wolf forms.
Amara steeled herself as Darius helped her to her feet. They stood side by side, looking at the suspicious wolves walking up to them.
Chapter Seventeen: Darius
Gray Creek had been saved. Victory, though, tasted bitter.
Darius stood by Amara as they were encircled by his fellow clansmen. Wolf shifters both in their wolf forms and human forms walked forward, shooting strange looks at Amara.
He leaned down to Amara's ear. "You think they're gonna thank us?"
Amara, unfortunately, didn't giggle or laugh, but shot him a look, as if to say this wasn't the time. Darius glanced around. No one came closer than a dozen feet away, especially since Gavriel, still in his wolf form, paced around Darius and Amara, snarling at everyone to stay
away.
Gray Creek was silent, the mood completely changed. Based on every shifter's expressions, it's like they never witnessed Amara help them, or help get rid of the two Vampires. Honestly, it was actually getting under his skin.
"What?" Darius finally said. "What are you all staring at? Is it really that strange to see a cat shifter?"
Most glanced away, unable to decide on their feelings towards her, but one older man growled low. "She should not be here."
"And neither should you," Darius countered. "Those Vampires should have killed you, but they didn't, because Amara gave us the openings we needed to win the fight."
The older wolf shifter spat into the earth and crossed his arms, but otherwise, he shut up.
Amara clung to his arm as a crashing sound alerted them all. From the Oldwood by the archway, Ulrick, still in his wolf form, bounded out, his sheer weight making deep pockets where his paws landed. He padded up, panting, growling at everyone to move. He came straight up to Gavriel, Darius, and Amara, and shifted to his human form.
"I thought you were chasing after that Vampire…" Darius said.
Ulrick grunted. "We lost her trail, though I have a pack still hunting her as we speak."
Ulrick turned and looked at every shifter encircling the group. Apparently, he wasn't interested in talking about the Vampire. "Whether she was here or not we would have won eventually," he said, his voice naturally rising. "She just made it a little quicker. But either way, it doesn't matter. That shifter was right, that girl should not be here. She either leaves now, or we kill her."
Gavriel immediately snarled and tensed up, showing his fangs to Ulrick. Ulrick stared Gavriel down. Neither moved.
Darius prepared to make a break for it with Amara if things went south. Damnit, maybe this wasn't the best plan after all. The Alpha would never change his views on the other clan, it simply was too great a change to make right now for him.
"Wait!"
Startled, everyone turned to see a female shifter and her young pup rush forward; she carried her pup in her arms and he looked out at every shifter he saw with wide eyes. Darius recognized her immediately as the woman Remus left Amara in charge of.
"You…" Amara whispered next to him.
Ulrick growled in frustration. "What is it now?"
The woman shied away from Ulrick at first, but eventually grew bold enough to look him in the eyes. "Amara should not be killed, or forced to leave." This sentiment sent a wave of whispering and muttering through the crowds, with a few gasps of shock. The woman looked around. "Aye, she is a cat shifter, from across the border, and when I first met her I had the same reaction as all of you, but then she did something I never expected from a member of the Pride. She saved my son." As if to emphasize her point, the woman raised her son half a foot. "He was stuck under a home amid the fighting, and a Changeling was thrown against it. I cried out for him, and before I could finish crying out, Amara rushed forward, took down the Changeling, and stood guard, so I had time to come over and pull him out. She's kind and heroic, so please, I beg you, do not force her away!"
The woman's child began to laugh hysterically in her arms at a butterfly that landed on her hair and made the moment so much less dramatic. Ulrick glared at the woman. "As if one's woman's word is enough to change my mind."
A hand shot up from somewhere in the crowd, with shifters around moving so that the female shifter it belonged to had room to walk forward. "I saw that too...the cat shifter saving the pup. The Changeling was trying to swipe at it, and just before the worst, she leaped on it and killed it instantly. I've only had time to think of it now, but why would she do that if she were our enemy?"
"Enough," Ulrick bellowed. "What kind of fools are you? She's a cat shifter!"
"And one that fought Vampires on our behalf…" Two more shifters came forward, both male, both glaring at Ulrick. "Let her be, she's friend as far as we see her."
More and more shifters came forward with eyewitness accounts of Amara's deeds, and more voices than Darius could count began to speak about how surprising it was to find a cat shifter willing to risk her life for them.
Ulrick, though, was not having any of it. He fumed and stomped on the ground like a child. "I said enough!" He bellowed. "The next person to speak for this monster will be personally torn apart by me!"
All voices cut away, leaving an air of silence. Sweat dripped down Darius' forehead as Ulrick slowly turned to face him and Amara. Darius could feel her tremble slightly.
"Looks like it's been decided, now, make your choice cub."
"She's not going anywhere!"
Ulrick lost it. "Alright! Whoever spoke, step forward. Your death will be quick, but extremely painful!"
Shocked voices gasped as a blonde head moved into the inner circle. Ulrick lost his voice as he looked on in horror. "Remus…? What-"
Remus stood tall, glaring at his father. He spread his arms out wide. "Well, father? Are you going to kill me, or not? I spoke out against you, didn't I?"
Ulrick wouldn't budge. "Remus, stop your yapping. I cannot kill you."
"Then you won't kill Amara."
"What did you just say?"
"You heard me." Remus walked around and stood in front of both Darius and Amara. "I'm telling you to either leave her be or go through me. Which will you do, father? Let an innocent cat shifter, who helped save Gray Creek from total destruction, stay here, or will you betray us all and kill your only son?"
Ulrick appeared at a loss, unmoving and his mouth agape. Remus didn't budge, keeping eye contact with his father. Finally, his father backed down. "Fine. She can stay, but she must be watched every hour of the day. I'll leave you to deal with that, Remus."
Like a man just defeated, Ulrick ambled away, making his way towards him home. "And clean up this mess!" He shouted over his shoulder.
The crowd began to dissipate, going to pick up Changeling bodies and helping wounded. The woman that was initially under Amara's protection smiled at them, but then turned and left. Gavriel looked at Darius once and then took off into the Oldwood. Darius didn't need to ask where he was going.
Both Darius and Amara let out very audible sighs of relief as Remus turned to them. "You hear that? You're going to be under my protection now, Amara." Remus winked at Darius. "I guess you have competition now, Dare."
"And mine," Darius said. "I'd never allow anyone to harm you. Nor Remus to take you away from me."
Amara chuckled. "Please, I don't think I can handle more than one wolf after me."
Remus chuckled as well. "It appears I have another admirer, so don't fret too much, Dare."
Darius cocked his head. "What do you mean?" All of a sudden, the realization that Remus cornered one of the Vampires hit him. "Wait, what happened to that brown-haired Vampire? What was her name…"
"Bronwen," Remus said. His gaze turned serious. "Her name is Bronwen."
"So, what happened with her? Don't tell me...you let her get away?"
Remus punched Darius in the arm. "Come on, what kind of amateur do you think I am? She's locked up right now, in chains. Strangely enough, the woman just had them on her, so I put them on her and left her in the charge of a slew of guards."
Darius scratched his head, trying to ponder what Remus just mentioned. "She just had chains on her? Are you serious? But, why?"
"You don't think she possibly wanted to get captured, do you?" Amara asked. She glanced between the astonished look on Darius' face and the level look Remus gave her. "Did she struggle when you captured her, Remus?"
Remus looked away, hands on his hips. "No, she didn't." He turned, and his eyes widened a little. "Nyssa…"
Looking past Remus, Darius spotted Remus' sister walking up to them, she wore a blank look, and a streak of blood covered her stomach and cheek. Upon seeing Darius, her stark blue eyes became like rivers, and her long blonde hair floated in the wind as she ran up to greet him. She barreled into him, embracing him as she swung her arms around his torso.
/> "Dare!" she said, sobbing. "I...I thought you were dead!
Amara appeared stunned, but Darius just gave her a sympathetic look. "Nyssa! It's been awhile, how have you been?"
Nyssa shot him a look. "How do you think I've been? I've been worried sick about you. Ever since my idiot brother came back and told us you crossed the river...I…"
Darius patted her head. "There, there. I'm fine, see?"
She pushed away from him, wiping at her red-hot eyes. "Don't treat me like a child! I'm fine."
Remus backed away slowly. "Dare, Amara. Come meet me later tonight, I think all three of us need to have a chat with Bronwen."
Nyssa glanced at her brother. "Bronwen? Who's Bronwen?"
"Nobody, Nyssa, just go tend to father. And stay out of our business, okay?"
She stuck her tongue out at him, but Remus sighed and turned to walk away.
"Don't treat me like a child, she says…" Darius remarked.
Nyssa must have realized her folly because her face burned at Darius' comments. Her face burned even brighter when she accidentally glanced at Darius and looked below his waist. She glanced away and stammered out her voice. "Why are you still naked?"
Darius exchanged a smile with Amara, who was just trying to keep herself from giggling out loud. "Well, we haven't exactly had time to go find some extra clothes. If you haven't noticed, most everyone around here is naked or was naked just a few minutes ago. Would you do us a favor and go grab us some clothes to change into?"
Nyssa eyed him and then turned her attention to Amara as if just noticing she stood next to Darius. "I can do that...just wait here."
Nyssa took off at a sprint, disappearing into Gray Creek before their very eyes.
"She's the one who has a crush on you?" Amara asked.
"Jealous, are we?"
Amara smiled and playfully smacked his shoulder. "After she grabs us some clothes, I think I need to rest, get some sleep…" she yawned as if to prove her point.
